Multi-organ injuries caused by lipopolysaccharide-induced periodontal inflammation in rats: role of melatonin.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Periodontitis, a chronic inflammatory disease caused by oral bacterial infection, is considered to be a risk factor for systemic diseases including diabetes mellitus, bacterial pneumonia, hyperlipidemia and atherosclerosis. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of melatonin against periodontal inflammation-induced multiple organ injury in rats. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Eighteen female Wistar albino rats were randomly divided into three groups of six rats each: control; lipopolysaccharide (LPS); and LPS + melatonin. During the experimental period (10 d) all rats in the LPS and LPS + melatonin groups were given 10 µL of LPS (from a 10 mg/mL standard solution of LPS dissolved in saline) on days 1, 3 and 5. The rats in the LPS + melatonin group were given 50 mg/kg of melatonin, daily for 10 d, starting on day 1 after the administration of LPS. All rats were killed at the end of the experimental period. Liver, kidney and lung tissues were removed for investigation by light microscopy. RESULTS: The levels of serum aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine transaminase (ALT) and blood urea nitrogen (BUN) were significantly increased in the LPS group compared with the LPS + melatonin group (p < 0.05). There was no significant change in the serum creatinine levels in the groups. However, the changes in serum AST, ALT and BUN levels in the experimental groups did not correlate with changes in histological data. Both LPS and LPS + melatonin groups displayed structural features similar to those of the control group. CONCLUSION: The results revealed that increased serum AST, ALT and BUN levels following periodontitis are ameliorated with melatonin treatment.

The effect of the duration of the dialysis in hemodialysis patients on dental and periodontal findings.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to investigate the dental and periodontal health status of patients on regular hemodialysis (HD) maintenance therapy, and the effect of duration of HD on oral status. STUDY DESIGN: Sixty-eight HD patients and 41 controls were examined. Decayed, Missing or Filled Teeth (DMFT index), plague index (PI), gingival index (GI), Probing pocket depth (PPD) and loss of periodontal attachment (LPA) were examined. RESULTS: Except DMFT index, significant differences were found in the other index values between patients and controls (P < 0.01). Dialysis duration significantly correlated not with DMFT but with the others. Also, DMFT values showed no significant differences between the five HD subgroups. For the PI, GI and PPD values, the first 5-year period revealed no significant variation, whereas the second 5-year period included significant increases. After 10 years, a much more significant increase was observed. The LPA values did not show any significant differences between the HD subgroups, but after 10 years a significant progressive increase can be observed. CONCLUSIONS: The dental and periodontal health is poor in HD patients and becomes worse with time on dialysis. Thus, oral health maintenance is of utmost importance in this patient group.

Periodontal disease in patients with familial Mediterranean fever: from inflammation to amyloidosis.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Familial Mediterranean fever stimulates a very intense acute-phase reactants response and if left untreated eventually leads to amyloidosis. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of periodontal disease among patients with familial Mediterranean fever in the Black Sea region in Turkey and to evaluate whether periodontitis is related to amyloidosis in patients with familial Mediterranean fever. MATERIAL AND METHODS: One-hundred and thirty three patients with familial Mediterranean fever and 50 healthy subjects were included in this study. Periodontal health and disease were evaluated using the gingival index, papillary bleeding index, plaque index and periodontal disease index. The concentrations of serum acute-phase reactants were measured at baseline and at 4-6 wk after completion of the nonsurgical periodontal therapy. Genetic testing for familial Mediterranean fever was performed using the familial Mediterranean fever StripAssay. Kidney biopsy was carried out on all proteinuric patients. RESULTS: The prevalence of moderate to severe periodontitis in familial Mediterranean fever patients with amyloidosis (80.6%) was significantly greater (p < 0.01) than in familial Mediterranean fever patients without amyloidosis (38%) and in controls (20%). Serum levels of acute-phase reactants in familial Mediterranean fever patients were reduced significantly following nonsurgical periodontal therapy (p < 0.01). CONCLUSION: Periodontal therapy seems to reduce the serum levels of acute-phase reactants in patients with familial Mediterranean fever. Therefore, treating periodontitis might help to alleviate the disease burden in patients with familial Mediterranean fever.